Let’s browse the curiosities of the Dragon Ball universe, and today the focus is Beerus. This character, a God of Destruction, who started out as a bit of a threat in Dragon Ball Z: Battle of Gods and then in Dragon Ball Super, ended up becoming a fan favorite with his unique look. And the story of its creation? Ah, this is too good not to share!
Initially, Beerus was supposed to be a lizard, but Akira Toriyama, the series creator, took a creative turn and brought us this enigmatic and charismatic being. How did this happen? Well, the answer lies in an interview with Toriyama in the 2013 issue of V-Jump, where he reveals a very unexpected source of inspiration for Beerus: his own cat, a 14-year-old Cornish Rex.
This cat was not just any animal. He was seriously ill, and against all expectations, he miraculously recovered, leading the vet to joke that he might be some kind of demon. Voilà, we have the inspiration for Bills!
This God of Destruction, with his feline ways and almost divine laziness, reflects many characteristics of a cat. He is powerful, but at the same time, he loves to relax and enjoy good fish. The influence of Toriyama’s cat is evident not only in Beerus, but also in Korin, another feline character in the series, whose appearance was inspired by Toriyama’s previous cat, Koge. By the way, Korin’s eyes are always closed? They are a tribute to Koge’s sleeping face.
But Dragon Ball’s story goes beyond feline inspirations. The series draws from the Chinese epic Journey to the West, with Son Goku being an adaptation of the Monkey King, Sun Wukong. Other characters, such as Bulma, Oolong and Yamcha, also have their roots in this literary classic.
In short, Beerus, despite his imposing appearance and title, has a much more mundane and charming origin. A domestic cat with a miraculous recovery story inspired one of Dragon Ball’s most memorable characters. It’s a surprising mix of reality and fiction, showing how even the most ordinary aspects of our lives can give rise to something extraordinary in the world of fantasy.
The Dragon Ball anime is available in full on Crunchyroll.
